Dita Horochovska, 34, is the first Czech who learned to work on a computer using her voice. Having been quadriplegic since birth, she founded the Silou hlasu (Voice Power) association that helps people with limited mobility to be more independent, using voice recognition software.
Last May, Dita Horochovská received the prestigious Olga Havel Foundation award. Created by the first wife of former President Václav Havel, this award is given every year to people who, despite their disability, dedicate their lives to helping others.
Dita Burm was born in the spine. Paralyzed in all three limbs, she learned to do everything with her left arm, before becoming unable to move. Only Dita was able to move her head, yet she managed to graduate from high school and regain some freedom and independence. All this thanks to voice recognition software, including MyVoice, developed by Czech researchers from the Technical University of Liberec.
The association she founded with her assistant Lukáš Srba has so far trained more than 40 disabled people from all over the Czech Republic. Like Dita, they can now take advantage of activities that were previously inaccessible: writing emails, using social networks, shopping online or even writing and formatting texts on the computer. Recently, the Silou hlasu association has also developed voice-activated software for household appliances.
In 2011, when this project was still in its infancy, Radio International Prague broadcast a picture of Dita Horochovska. We suggest you listen to it again.
